


The Proposal

by sweetestthing (functiondys)



Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 20:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/functiondys/pseuds/sweetestthing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You said that you loved me.”<br/>His voice was rough, from drink or emotion she couldn't tell. Effie clasped her gloved hands on front of her and stood a little taller.<br/>“Yes,” she replied.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

“You said that you loved me.”

His voice was rough, from drink or emotion she couldn't tell. Effie clasped her gloved hands on front of her and stood a little taller.

“Yes,” she replied.

Her tone was prim and formal, perfectly pitched.

“Did you expect me to say the same thing back?”

“Love does not expect.”

“Doesn't it?”

“No,” she said, taking a few steps closer. “It doesn't.”

There was silence for a moment as he thought.

“Know how long it's been since someone said that to me?”

Effie approached the small wooden bench that he sat on. Her back perfectly straight as she settled herself at the most respectable distance from him that the dimensions would allow.

“Said it or meant it?”

Haymitch looked over at her for the first time since she had approached, peering out through his fringe. The night had taken the colour from his eyes but not the sharpness or the intelligence.

“I think there may be quite a few people in the world who use it to mean something very different to you,” she said. “People love fashion, they love food, the love their thrilling Victors.”

Haymitch snorted.

“So yes, Haymitch. I can imagine someone had said that to you since it was last meant.”

“What, you think I'm not loveable?”

“Of course you are. As a matter of fact, it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Haymitch Abernathy. Loveable, cute, caring, dependable, wonderful baker. Oh no, wait. That's Peeta.”

Haymitch chuckled.

“Which of you is it I'm bedding again? These things do so easily slip my pretty little mind.”

“You are a mean, mean woman.”

“You love it,” she smiled.

The humour that had been dancing in his eyes slipped away again. Effie cursed herself silently.

“Love,” he said, as if the concept needed a great deal of consideration. “I'm not even sure I know what that is any more, 'scept something to be scared of. Something that gets people killed.”

She wanted to reach out and touch him but refrained.

“Those days are gone.”

He shook his head, “Not in here they're not. I don't reckon I'll live long enough for 'em to ever be gone. Katniss, maybe. Not me.”

“Well then, I guess you'll need some help to work on that. Lucky for you I happen to know just the woman.”

“I'm serious Effie.”

“And I'm just an empty headed little thing who couldn't possibly manage to be anything other than frivolous.”

“Damnit, woman I'm trying to -”

“To what, Haymitch? Point out that you have issues? Well if that's something you feel the need to point out then you're dumber than you look. There's not a single person left in Panem that doesn't know.”

Haymitch scowled and looked away.

“And if you think you're the only one here that has them then you're an utter fool.”

“It's different – I'm not saying they're better or worse but you're different. You ain't near as damaged as you think you are sweetheart and one day even that'll scab over.”

“I used to think that imperfections were... problematic. Unsightly and unwanted. My imperfections – my damage as you say – is a part of me now and all of the hideous nightmares aside, I think I'm a better person for it. I know that I am. Do you disagree?”

Haymitch looked like he was struggling to contain his emotions.

“I thought not,” she said.

“I'm trying,” he said, nearly choking on the words. “I'm trying to be a better man but I don't hold out much hope for ever getting there.”

This time she did take his hand and squeezed gently.

“You really love me?”

“I do.”

“Sometimes at night I wake screaming, but the dreams they aren't the old dreams. Not anymore. They're not the deaths that have already happened, they're the deaths that might. Sometimes I'm back in the arena. We both are. And there's not even a thought in my thick head about coming out alive, it's all about you. When I wake -”

Effie squeezed his hand tight, he squeezed back. Haymitch's breath was quick and shallow. He cleared his throat and tried again.

“There was a boy once. I think he knew what love was, used to dream of wife and kids and all that, but the man he grew into...” His hand held so tightly onto hers that it hurt. “He dreams of hell. He dreams of children slaughtering one another for the entertainment of their overlord but his nightmare isn't being trapped there. His nightmare is failing to get you out.”

He refused to look at her.

“I don't know what love means, but that – that means something.”

Effice couldn't find the words to reply. Haymitch sat up a little straighter and took his hand away to wipe at his eyes.

“Listen, I uh, I know I'm a little fucked up here and uh I just... Oh, wait. Here. I got a thing. Shit, where -”

He patted at his breast pockets, then searched around, finally pulling something from his jacket pocket. A strange looking flower, though she couldn't tell the colour, the shape was pleasing.

“You uh, you know what this is?”

“It's a flower.”

Haymitch chuffed. “Yeah, sweetheart. It's a flower. Well done.”

Effie scowled at him.

“It's a special type of flower. Well, sort of. There's nothing special about it really but it means something. Or it does in District 12.”

“What does it mean?”

“The people that live here, we can't afford the fancy things in life but that doesn't mean we can't find beauty. I know in the Capital they used gold rings but people here could never afford 'em.”

Effie's breath caught in her throat.

“ 'round here, a man wants to make a statement to someone special, he walks into the woods and he finds her one of these.”

“Haymitch are you – are you proposing to me?”

“No, I uh – I won't ever be that presumptuous. Think you're throwing your life away enough on me as it is without suggesting... I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm offering you... well, whatever you want from me that I can actually give. I ain't much – I know I ain't – but uh, whatever I am I'm yours if you want it.”

He brushed his hair back from his brow.

“I ain't getting sentimental here,” he said, even though his voice shook and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. “Ain't suggesting kids and dog and hell - I couldn't cope with you underfoot all the time but I just -”

He cut himself off and frowned.

“What I'm trying to say is that whatever happens, whatever you do when you go away back to the Capital I don't care. I won't ever care, not as long as you keep coming back.” He swallowed. “I'm not the boy I was. You said you love me and I don't know what that is any more but I know that I'd die for you. I'd volunteer for you. And the thing I want most in my life right now, is for you to promise to never stop coming back to me. Just never stop coming back.”

He drew one unsteady breath after another until he stood. Effie was caught by the emotion in his eyes. He straightened his shirt with a tug and cleared his throat.

“So uh, that's that. And uh, you either, y'know, you wear the flower in your hair tomorrow or you – you leave it on the stone on front of the fireplace. I mean you're staying with me anyway right now so it uh, shouldn't be difficult to manage.”

“I can't just answer?”

“It's tradition to give a girl a little while to think about it. And gentler on the guy.”

He started to walk away.

“Haymitch?”

“Yeah?”

“It won't be easy,” she said.

“Is love easy?”

“Not that I've ever been aware of.”

“Then I guess I'm okay with it,” he said.

Haymitch started to walk away, but glanced back enough to see Effie with a little smile on her face as she twirled the little flower in her hand.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Haymitch

 

“I think perhaps we should talk.”

Haymitch paused for a moment then touched the bottle of whisky to the glass with a clink and poured.

“If you're gonna say no, just damn well say it.”

He could hear her pacing towards him, high heels clacking against the wooden floor. Then she took the glass from his hand.

“Hey -”

Effie tipped back the whisky and downed it in one.

“There, now.” She put the glass back on the table. “Come along.”

Haymitch blinked.

She strode into the living room and sat down on the edge of one of the armchairs by the fireplace. He followed more sedately.

“Now, before you start, I'm not saying no - but I'm not saying yes yet either.”

Haymitch's brow furrowed.

“I just – I think perhaps we need to talk about this first.”

“We talked. I moved my mouth about and made sounds, you were there. I even did the whole emotional,” he waved his hands vaguely in the air. “Thing. What more do you want from me?”

“I want you to listen.”

“Right, fine.” Haymitch said and threw himself into the armchair opposite. “I'm a listening.”

He made an aborted effort to take a drink, realised he wasn't holding a glass and scowled at the empty hand like it had betrayed him.

“I'm just – well, I appreciate the gesture with the flower. It was beautiful and romantic and very me – well the delivery was a little off and some of the content a little rambling – but at heart it was a beautiful gesture and one I believe designed very carefully for me.”

Haymitch peered through his fringe silently.

“One I would like to match by having the sort of frank discussion about expectations I believe that you would appreciate.”

He tilted his head slightly and thought.

“Okay, that's uh...” he tried then realised he had no idea how to respond to that. “Thank you.”

Effie inclined her head slightly, looking pleased.

“Well, let me just start by saying that I think in principal it is a very promising idea.”

“Promising,” he drawled.

“Yes,” she said, continuing as if she hadn't noticed his tone. “But there are certain elements I believe we should work out in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.”

“Well, that's uh... thoughtful.”

“I'm glad you agree.”

“Was I not clear before? Was there some confusion there?”

“Well what you did state was quite clear indeed but there were a few details that could do with that final little bit of polish.”

“Uh huh. Well, by all means then polish away,” he made the aborted gesture with his arm again and scowled death at the bottle sitting in the next room. Even a year ago he'd have left the damn conversation to go and bring it over. He might not be great at the whole 'relationship' thing yet, but he hoped she appreciated exactly how much he was trying.

“Haymitch, my -” she faltered a little, the cracks in her composure were starting to show. Whatever it was she was trying to say was important to her. Haymitch waited silently. “My career is very important to me and think that you should be made aware of that.”

“I already am, what's your point?”

Effie flinched, Haymitch grit his teeth and snarled at himself internally.

“Well I – I find it matters to me a great deal and I am not quite comfortable in allowing anything to become more important than that. If we are to – if we were to be married I would insist upon continuing to work.”

She said the sentence in a rushed, forceful manner, so much so that the Capital façade cracked completely towards the end and became pure unadulterated Effie. Her body language was braced and defiant as if she expected him to disagree.

Haymitch pursed his lips together and nodded as if giving the matter significant thought. Effie sounded like she'd stopped so much as breathing. He sat up properly in the chair for a moment then leaned over his knees towards her.

“Effie, if you and I were to get married I would want you to keep working. Very much.”

“You – you would?”

The look in her eyes was surprise, battered by suspicion.

“Sweetheart, I would insist upon it.”

“But why?”

“Why not?”

“You wouldn't want me to... remain at home?”

Haymitch couldn't help the way his face blanched.

“No, no that would not be what I would want. At all. Ever.”

“But why?”

Haymitch physically bit his tongue to stop himself responding.

“Effie, sweetheart. I love it when you're here, I really do, but also love it when you're not here.”

It was evident that she didn't understand, she looked like she was trying to figure out if it was an insult or not. Haymitch struggled to find a way to put it in her language well enough for her to understand.

“I, uh... sometimes when you're here it gets pretty intense for me. I'm not used to people being around me, I'm not used to the level of -” he hesitated at the word, then said it with reluctance. “ - of intimacy that I have with you. Too much of people – any people – let alone you, and it gets too loud and too close and it starts crawling under my skin -”

From the look on her face he wasn't helping.

“It's overwhelming,” he concluded. “Socially, psychologically, I can't cope with something that sustained. It's too much and I don't know what to do with it and sometimes I'm afraid I'll do something stupid and ruin it. It's just I need uh, I need my... off-air time, sometimes.”

Effie considered.

“You... you mean to say that you feel so much for me that you cannot stand it? Your love for me is so deep, so great in comparison to anything you've ever known that you simply cannot cope,” she said and pressed one gloved hand to her chest. There were tears glistening in her eyes.

Haymitch swallowed awkwardly.

“Oh Haymitch.”

“Uh - ”

“That's so romantic.”

Effie looked like she was about to cry, he quickly started talking again.

“Also, I can be difficult to live with – and frankly, so can you princess – so some time apart on a regular basis is probably pretty good for us. It gives us our own space and time and a chance to remember why we actually like each other if we happen to get wound up.”

Effie smiled at him like he'd said something wonderful. Haymitch had no idea what it was and frankly it scared him a little.

“Not to mention the fact that it's important to you and uh... that should be a consideration of mine if we're going to do this.”

She gave him a little simper, as if he were a particularly adorable fluffy animal she were thinking about keeping. Maybe one of those hideous little pink fur ball things from the Capital pet stores.

It was pretty much guaranteed that image was going to turn up in his nightmares.

“ Effie, I gotta ask here – is this a Capital thing?”

“Is it common for women to continue to work here after marriage?”

“Well people here don't really have careers like they do in the Capital. You work 'cause you need to. A lot of women y'know they have families and stuff but almost everyone needs to help out with something somehow.”

“But they do live together all of the time?”

“Yeah. Usually.”

“That doesn't bother you, what people might think?”

“For better or worse sweetheart, you're talking to a man who couldn't give a rat's ass about what people think. You want a career – go get 'em girl. I promise, I'll stay right here and try not to fuck anything up.”

“You could visit you know. Just sometimes. The Capital is changing.”

“Uh... Maybe?” He said. “Sometime.”

“So everything would be, well – much the same as it is now?”

“Yeah. That's kinda the plan. Except with uh, I guess the assurance that you're the primary person in my life and uh, vice-versa.”

Effie blinked at him.

“The same for you with me.”

“Well of course, you'd be my husband.”

Somehow, that was a weird thought. He knew fine well what he was doing when he'd proposed marriage but somehow the word husband hadn't really factored into his mental considerations. It sat strangely in his mental landscape. Strangely, but not unpleasantly.

“I'd uh – I'd kinda like that.”

“I rather think I might too,” she said and the firelight caught her eyes as she looked at him. Haymitch couldn't help but smile gently in response and felt a warmth flow through him. Then tried to take another sip.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

They decide upon a spring wedding.

Haymitch agrees to it on the condition that his involvement be limited to turn up, say stuff, sign paper, leave with gorgeous woman intent on having wildly passionate sex with him. Peeta had blushed, Katniss just rolled her eyes and Effie, well she'd colored a little but she certainly hadn't disagreed. The look she shot him certainly said he was going to pay for it though. Haymitch found himself looking forward to it. 

Of course there was going to be nothing they could do to keep it from becoming news. The press were all over it like a peacekeeper battalion at a free speech convention but the hell was he going to play ball. Even after all they'd been through people still hadn't learned about the shit being fed to them, no they were still actively lapping the stuff up. 

Well, Haymitch had fought for and watched way too many people die for trying to resist being a little government puppet. So when the cameras turn up in District 12 he is, unfortunately for them, somewhat irritated, largely sober and in the best physical condition of his life. 

Katniss bails him out. She doesn't say much which worries him and smiles when they part ways which just sends shivers down his spine. He fingers the knife up his sleeve as he closes the door behind him - it's gonna take more years than he has left to be able to put the past behind him, so yeah, it's still there – and he eyes his hallway with paranoid intensity.

Not that he needed to. The click-clack-click of heels is unmistakable. He debates his chances of making it back out the door before she comes into view, realises it's hopeless and braces for the inevitable. 

So they shout at each other. She huffs, he sulks and then they make up. Which does not involve make-up sex much to his great annoyance because they have to 'discuss things' now. Which means he needs to sit still and agree with her until she shuts the hell up. Fair play to Effie though, he listens to her point, even acknowledges it in her own way before 'discussing things further'.

Discussing things further, it turns out, is not a euphemism for sex.

They compromise. Still photos but no film cameras. Effie styles things as she likes with the caveat from Haymitch that if she tries to put him in something completely ridiculous he will strip naked and marry her in the buff. Effie promptly informs him that he won't be, he lets her know she might be right about half of it but she sure as hell can't control the other bit. 

Peeta plays diplomat, Effie faffs about and Haymitch wears something only vaguely ridiculous so Katniss doesn't need to burn out her retinas in the end. Everybody wins.

Vows are given, flowers exchanged.

Effie tears up and Haymitch flat out sobs.

No one lives happily ever after but they live and live happily. 

Most of the time.


End file.
